1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simple, inexpensive camera in which a manual shutter actuating button serves to locate the film for exposure and release the shutter, then to actuate a motor to disengage and advance the film and recock the shutter.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cameras for use with a film disk are currently marketed by Eastman Kodak Company and others incorporating a motor drive which is energized by the operator to locate, expose and advance the film. This camera/film combination provides the consumer with unprecedented convenience in that the operation is totally automated and the physical size permits ready pocketability. one example of the structure of such a camera is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,387 issued inthe name of R. Cloutier.
Other cameras have been devised for use with disk film which are simpler in construction and operation, utilizing manual operations for film location, exposure and advance. One such camera is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,443 which illustrates a manually operated camera that provides substantially the same operational features of the Cloutier camera, but without the expense of a motor and its controls. This camera provides the convenience of one-button operation to first actuate the shutter and then to advance the film.
Other examples of prior art cameras used with film disks include U.S. Pat. No. 4,202,614 which illustrates another manually operated camera and U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,087 which discloses a camera that utilizes a reloadable film cartridge assembly with film in the form of a disk. This last camera permits one-button operation, actuating the shutter for film expsoure and then advancing the film for the next expsoure. However, this camera does not provide a mechanism for the accurate location of the film during exposure and for subsequent release to permit advancing the film for the next exposure. Thus, this camera does not provide sufficiently accurate film positioning to ensure high resolution photographs under all conditions.
Still other examples of prior art cameras for use with film disks are disclosed at pages 97-98 and 100-101 of the March 1982 issue of Research Disclosure published by Industrial Opportunities Ltd., Havant, England. These cameras are reasonably simple and compact, providing manual and one-button operation. Nevertheless, each of these cameras suffers from structural limitations that detract from the operating convenience for the customer.
While the camera disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,443 is simple and inexpensive in its construction, and provides ease of opeation, it has the potential disadvantage of requiring a long actuation stroke to mechanically perform all of the camera functions necessary. It has been found that such long camera actuating motions can contribute to camera movement resulting in unsharp photographs.
While it is known to utilize small electric motors to perform some or all of the camera functions, permitting a short, light actuating motion by the user, such as to actaute an electric switch to actuate the motor, motorized camera exemplified by the above Cloutier patent have utilized complex and expensive electronic sensors and controls.